Ocean Deep
by Claire M C
Summary: Response to Chlack Ficathon challenge.


Title: Ocean Deep

Status: Complete Summary: Response to the Chlack Ficathon. Written to rorylie's specifications :) Author's Notes: I'm not a fluffy writer, I just can't do it. But rorylie asked for something where Jack & Chloe were really together, and with no angst. Well, this is as close to fluff as I can get... Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of The Fox Network. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

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The breeze was refreshing without being cold, and helped somewhat to calm down her frazzled nerves. She wrapped her arms more tightly around her waist and moved her feet, feeling the sand shifting beneath her toes as she took in the expanse of the world around her. 

Purple-grey clouds rolled overhead and into the distance until they melded seamlessly with the grey ocean in front of her. The dark rugged rocks and cliffs that reflected the roar of the Atlantic and patchwork of green fields were so different to LA, she could have wept. She felt a sense of peace and quiet begin to settle over her and she closed her eyes as she let it overtake her body.

Arms, welcoming and warm wrapped around her lightly swelling stomach and she smiled feeling his head press against her, his chin a welcome weight on her shoulder. She traced the length of his arms and intertwined her fingers with his, their rings clanging satisfyingly when they came in contact.

He brushed a quick kiss against her shoulder and pulled her even closer to him, the thud of his heart a reassuring and familiar comfort against her back.

"Hey," he whispered.

"Hey, right back at you."

"They're nearly finished the unpacking."

Her eyes shot open and her back stiffened.

"Did you see what they did?" She demanded, her voice shaking slightly.

Behind her Jack sighed, and buried his nose in her hair, muffling his voice. "Yes, I saw, Chloe. But you never liked it."

"That's not the point!" she huffed, her eyebrows drawing down in disdain.

"It was a ceramic fish that your ex-husband gave to us, Chloe. And you hated it."

"Yeah, but they didn't know that!" Chloe insisted. "What if it had been a priceless Ming vase, or an Original copy of a Shakespeare play!"

"If we ever own a Ming vase, I promise you I won't allow any removal men to touch it."

She glared at him, before continuing. "Frankly I'm surprised those morons graduated from High School, I don't hold out much hope for their college careers!"

"Chloe, calm down." He rubbed her lower back in soothing, circular motions. "I'm sorry, this upsets you."

She stepped away from him and chewed her bottom lip. "It's just stressful, you know. Moving house, to a place on the other side of the country. Not that I regret anything about the move," she smiled at him over her shoulder, "just…they better not have broken anything else," she glared again in the direction of the removal van and the three young men moving the last of the boxes into the house.

"I'm sure everything will be just fine," Jack reassured her, a lopsided grin on his face, wrapping his arms around her again.

She sighed against him and closed her eyes, breathing in the sea air.

"What are you thinking?" he whispered in her ear.

"That I'm glad I checked that there have been no terrorist attacks in New England in the past fifty years. A little reassurance is nice sometimes."

He chuckled behind her, before standing silently with her, the only sounds coming from the crashing of the waves against the jagged rocks.

"Are you happy now?" He whispered close to her ear.

She nodded and turned in his arms, looking at the old Edwardian house over his shoulders, a smile gracing her lips.

"Very."

For a moment the smile fell from her face, and a frown marred her features, a small crease appearing between her eyebrows.

"What is it?"

She hesitated, but he encouraged her with his eyes to continue.

She looked quickly away, but not before he saw the sheen of moisture obscuring her gaze, one small drop overflowing from eye.

"Hey," he turned her head back towards him and brushed away the stray tear with the pad of his thumb, "where's this all coming from?"

She huffed, blowing the loose strands of hair that fell over her face. "Stupid hormones," she muttered, "I don't do this normally."

"I wasn't talking about that, Chloe. You've seemed on edge since we got here, and restless. Isn't this what we always planned? To leave CTU, and LA, and get our own small piece of the world where we could live and grow old together, and watch our children grow up?" he caressed her stomach for a moment, but she crossed her arms and shrugged, looking away.

"I know it's what we've always talked about, but now that we've actually done it… I wonder if this can ever really be enough for you", her arms squeezed tighter around her small frame. "You're a field agent Jack. You always have been, from the moment you walked through my front door and demanded I sort out CTU's security problems."

She looked back at him, a smug smirk on her face. "You're like GI Jack, or an American James Bond, but with better guns. So, I'm concerned you're going to find it difficult to settle down to a quiet life." She met his eyes again, her own still shining with unshed tears. Bloody hormones. "I don't want you doing this because you think it's what i _I_ /i want, or it's a knee jerk reaction because of…well, the Chinese. Are you sure this is what i _you_ i want?"

He placed two fingers beneath her chin and tilted it up until she met his eyes.

"I've never been more certain of anything in my life. I love you, Chloe. I've paid my dues to this country and so have you. You were right to suggest we leave that life behind us. I never thought I'd see America, or the people I love again after I was taken by the Chinese. But I did. This is my chance, Chloe. Our chance, to live as close to a normal life as we can." He stepped forward and tried to tame a lock of her hair that was dancing in the cool Atlantic breeze. "I know you've found the last few months…difficult," he glanced down at her stomach, still not able to stop the smile that seemed to appear every time he looked at her now.

"I don't like being…vulnerable," she interrupted him in a small voice.

He nodded his understanding. "I know. But, there's nowhere else I'd rather be than here with you, raising our children." He paused as she smiled brilliantly at him. "When I was younger, I believed I could play the devoted father and loving husband while still being the All American action hero. I was wrong." Jack looked out over the horizon, his eyes turning a stormy grey, like the ocean in front of him.

"Terri died because of my job, because of decisions I made and the people I trusted. And Kim…we're barely on speaking terms. At one point in my life I put my family in second place. But not anymore, Chloe." He looked back at her, the determination, sincerity and love shining from him to her. "You, and our family, are my number one priority. I'm tired of LA. I want to be your husband. In i _every_ /i sense of the word."

Tears were in her eyes when he cupped her cheek and lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her softly but resoundly.

Behind her she could still hear the spray of water as the waves crashed against the dark rocks nearby, but the relief and sheer joy she felt flowed and ebbed through her and Jack. This was what she'd wanted, what she'd always wanted, but had never dreamed possible. They had both lived, survived CTU. There were still memories, dark and dreaded that would haunt them in the small hours of the night, but they'd work through that. Like they always did. Because he was Jack and she was Chloe, and together, they could do anything.

Finis 


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